Hilary Wilson

A lesson from a world renowned brand

Hilary — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Would you invest in a business that didn’t invest in itself? Why should a business invest in you if you’re not investing in yourself.

Remember the famous quote by the Apple corporation
“Your sense of job security lies within your employability”So start investing now by reminding yourself of what you bring to an employer.This activity will also increase your confidence and clarity along with your employability.Make a note of at least
five things in the following areas.

5 strengths I have got

5 skills I possess

5 things I’ve achieved in the last year

5 things I’m proud of

Keep adding to the list so you become much aware of how, when and where you make a difference. Remember your sense of security lies within your employability.

Here’s to your success.

Hilary

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Baby boomers, Generation X and Y – Who is most employable?

Hilary — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:31:00 +0000

The whole baby boomers, generation X and Y is a very loose theory open to wide interpretation and debate at best and at worst utterly daft to try to categorise 10 of millions of people because of the time period they were born in.

So why am I raising the topic. Simply because it’s one that has been raised several times in the last few weeks by a range of clients and colleagues most especially in the areas of leadership and employability.

A rough overview.

Baby boomers (approx. born 1946 – 1969)

Often encouraged to go to university and once they had graduated get a good job and take a well defined career path that was stable, secure and had status. Characteristics associated with this group often included ambitious, hard working and loyal. This group have had to learn technology. Many of this group would be moving towards retirement however due to economic changes and a desire to stay in the workforce are working longer. The job market that is keen to keep them as they have managed through previous recessions.

Generation X (approx. born 1970 – 1990)

Off spring of the baby boomers who were raised by parents who wanted to give them more than they had in education, holidays, luxuries, the latest technology and choice. Parental financial support has tended to go way beyond 18. A different up bringing has created different career drivers which include flexible approach to work, no real anxiety about long term security, a desire to have it all now most especially with consumer products/high quality life style. Career planning would also be low on the priority list with a genuine desire for variety of role and employers. Most especially “values” based organisation are sought out. This group grew up with technology.

Generation Y (approx. 1990 -2010)

In the context of work this group are in their late teens/early twenties so are just starting out in their careers. No one yet knows the full impact off what starting out in a recession will have on their career drivers and motivations.

So who is most employable?

Well that depends on what the employer wants. Each generation has lots to offer accompanied by potential downsides. However there are certain traits that maximise an individuals employability whatever generation they maybe from.

The key thing is to have skills and strengths that the job market requires. It is our job to keep up to date with the trends in our industry and what that might mean for us as individuals, However you also need the ability to let the market know you exist through having a positive reputation, a good range of contacts accompanied by being proactive and an online presence. I mention on line presence because on several occasions over the last week when someone’s name has been mentioned the first thing that has happened in the meeting are people grabbing their Blackberry’s, I Phones etc and doing a web search which often takes you to LinkedIn or You Tube.

So in summary the keys to employability are linked to having skills and strengths the market place wants and be able to deliver them in a way that works for all the people you come in contact with whatever generation they are from. That ability really does make you irresistible employable.

Best wishes,

Hilary

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Audit of Your Personal Brand.

Hilary — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Organisations the world over spend billions in cash and time on understanding and marketing their brands.Brands whether personal or corporate are key to success. So take 5 minutes to audit your MePlc brand.

Delivering on task alone is not enough to get you noticed.Below is a list of factors that will impact your brand and get you noticed or not.As you consider each statement decide which rating you would give yourself.

	A Liability	Below Average	Average	Above Average	An Asset
Clarity on what I offer/ love doing at work
Clarity on how and where you add value
Well-developed self-awareness
Self-esteem and confidence
Well-developed reputation and visibility
Organisational Awareness
Communication skills – verbal/written
Ability to “read” others accurately
Influencing skills
Presentation Skills
Ability to create a positive impact
Network of Contacts

Now you’ve got a completed balance sheet please answer this question. Which one of these if you were to improve it would make the biggest difference? What one step could you take to improving that area?

Remember a small positive change in the area you have chosen will make a positive difference to the success of your personal brand. The small change I’m making is to improve my writing skills and hopefully also provide useful material to the world – comments welcome!

Best wishes,

Hilary

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Are you making the most of your power?

Hilary — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:58:00 +0000

The Power Base Model

Personal Power Bases

When considering getting noticed at work it might be useful to make sure that you are tapping into your personal power in the most effective way.

Boss Boots:

This is about the power vested in you by the organisation to do the job. With the job role comes access to all sorts of information and people along with the responsibility to make it happen. Whilst accepting a small slice of power resides here this is not your most positively compelling power base.

The Mortar Board Hat:

This represents your expert knowledge around the work you do. Have you ever had an encounter with an “expert” and left it feeling dazed and confused? Not really understanding at all what you’ve been told and how it fits to your role. Recently I was at a conference and the opening address was by an academic from a leading business school which shall definitely remain nameless. It was apparent by the introduction this man had more qualifications than I’ve had hot dinners as his topic was “Leadership” I assumed we were in for a really inspirational session. Especially as in the audience we had many great leaders from British business. What a chance to tap into all that wisdom. As the talk started I was rather struck by the fact that there was an OHP projector on the stage ( I hadn’t seem one for years) and a vast pile of slides beside it. The gist of the talk was about the statistical analysis of leadership behaviours most specifically concerning organisations in the Asia Pacific rim. By the time we got to slide 29 we were into pie charts and graphs and words the like mean, mode, medium were being banded around. By the time we got to slide 86 I noted that many of the audience were in a deep state of trance that Paul McKenna himself would have been proud. The final slide no 110 brought us to the end of the presentation. As we were getting up to leave I overheard the gentleman next to me (who himself was a hugely successful leader) whisper to his colleague “What the **** was that all about?”

How do you share your expertise? In a way where people get the relevance, in a way that it makes senses and adds value. Is it clear and concise? Have you found a way to make the complex simple?.How can you use you expertise to make life easier and clearer for people.

The ability to do this up getting noticed significantly..

The address book:

Think of your address books as a personal information super highway. The World Wide Web will tell you things about your organisation and industry. Who you know tells you what the talk at the water cooler is! It gives you a finger on the pulse of the organisation and industry you are in. As well as being a source of information “in” it is a route to raising your reputation and visibility. The biggest and best address books I’ve ever seen in business are those owned by people who are focused on making the pie bigger for everyone or as one of my clients describes it “networking is all about how to help and support each other to deliver value to key stakeholders”. Or put another great address books come out of giving and helping much more that getting and taking.

Your Map

What does your role exist to do? How does it fit into the bigger map of the organisation? What levels of clarity do you have around where you and your team are heading to? Is everyone going in the same direction in your organisation?

Another way to think about this is thus:

Imagine you are strolling around Westminster in the 13^th Century and you see a man making something with his hands. You stop pass the time of day and inquiry as to what he is doing He replies I’m making a brick. You wish him a good day and move on. A little further along you meet another man. It appears that he is doing the same thing. You stop, pass the time of day with him and inquire as to what he is doing. He replies I’m building a wall. Further on again you meet another man making what looks to be the same as the other two. You stop, pass the time of day with him and inquire as to what he is doing. “Building Westminster Cathedral” comes the reply.

Are you building making a brick, wall or a Cathedral?

Your map gives you the big picture and the detail of the organisation. Both are core to getting noticed.

Your cloak of behaviour:

What shape is your cloak of behaviour in? Is it something you’ve been clinging onto for the last ten years? “I’ve always done it like this. All this learning about understanding others and myself is a load of old rot. All that matters is delivering my tasks. Doesn’t matter how”

Or perhaps your cloak is more Harry Potter like. Growing and developing. Trying things on, perfecting things ever open to learning and growing.

A frequently asked question at interview is “What have you done in the last year to invest in your personal development”. This is really an inquiry into you cloak of behaviour.

Which one of you power bases if you were to improve it would make the biggest difference? What action do you need to take?

Here’s to you success,

Hilary

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Wise words from a great entrepreneur about getting noticed at work.

Hilary — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:43:00 +0000

Anita Roddick founder of The Body Shop

I was lucky enough to be at a conference where the late, great Anita Roddick the founder of Body Shop was speaking. It is worth remembering that when she launched the now world famous brand that sourcing ethical natural products in a way that didn’t harm the planet or the people that produced them was not common practise at all. In many ways she lead the way in what is now common place.

Anita Roddick talked with great passion about how she hated the fact that in business how you came across seemed to be more important than who you truly were. She struggled with that however she then went on to say that despite not liking that the reality was that the people in the body shop business who contributed at meetings, who built relationships across the business, that showed initiative and enthusiasm were the ones that got on. Not necessarily because they were better at their jobs than the quiet person in the corner but because they were more visible. Anita Roddick went onto say that visibility was key to getting noticed in a corporate environment. And the way to be visible is to do a great job and do it in such a way that it positively impacts others.

Here’s to your success,

Hilary

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Attitude is infectious is yours worth catching?

Hilary — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:40:00 +0000

We can all think of people in our organisations that are referred to as “mood hovers” or “energy vampires” equally we can all think of people who are “chuckle dusters” simply they are really enjoyable to be around. What would people say about you?

The effect we have on people has a subtle yet powerful impact on getting noticed at work. Our attitude is greatly influenced by our levels of self esteem and confidence. If you want to improve your self esteem and confidence it is critical to grab that thing between your ears called a brain and get it focused on your successes and strengths.

One way to do that is to spend five minutes at the end of each working day making a note of at least ten small wins or success you have had that day. For instance 1. Tackled a difficult conversation 2. Completed a report before the deadline 3. Used the stairs all day not the lift 4. Started preparing the presentation I have been putting off. Etc

It is quick and easy to do. Also it is guaranteed to boost your self esteem and confidence.

As these are the bedrock of having an attitude worth catching I’d suggest five minutes is worth spending in this way.

My favorite definition of insanity is “Doing the same thing and expecting a difference result”. Where would a small change in your attitude yield big results? What action can you take?

“It is in our choices, Harry that we show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

Professor Humbledore to Harry Potter in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling

Best wishes,

Hilary

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A quote to start the year.

Hilary — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:02:00 +0000

I came across this quote the other day “You become who you spend time with”. Just for a moment think about who you spend time with at work? Would you benefit by spending time with other people?

If you want to get noticed at work it is important to spend time with people who help you feel good about who you are.

Have a great year

Hilary

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Presenting your way to success

Hilary — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:58:00 +0000

The fastest way to get noticed at work is to become a competent and confident presenter.Whether it is one on one, small groups or larger audiences it is a core skill to getting noticed at work.

Use the questionnaire below to find out what is working for you and what is not.

To be a more effective presenter, it is useful to examine your present skills. The following evaluation can help identify the areas on which to focus in order to increase your competence. Please read each statement and circle the number that best describes you.

	The way I approach a presentation is….	Never – Always
1.	I identify some basic objectives before planning a presentation.	1 2 3 4 5
2.	I analyse the values, needs and limitations of my audience.	1 2 3 4 5
3.	I write down some main ideas first in order to build a presentation around them.	1 2 3 4 5
4.	I incorporate both a preview and a review of the main ideas.	1 2 3 4 5
5.	I develop an introduction that will catch the attention of my audience and still provide the necessary background information.	1 2 3 4 5
6.	My conclusion refers back to the introduction and, if appropriate, contains a call to action statement.	1 2 3 4 5
7.	The visual aids I use are carefully prepared, simple, easy to read and make an impact.	1 2 3 4 5
8.	The number of visual aids will enhance, not detract from my presentation.	1 2 3 4 5
9.	If my presentation is persuasive, I support it with logical arguments.	1 2 3 4 5
10.	I use anxiety to fuel the enthusiasm of my presentation not hold me back.	1 2 3 4 5
11.	I ensure the benefits suggested to my audience are clear and compelling.	1 2 3 4 5
12.	I communicate ideas enthusiastically.	1 2 3 4 5
13.	I rehearse so there is a minimum use of notes and maximum attention paid to my audience.	1 2 3 4 5
14.	My notes contain only key words so I avoid reading from a manuscript.	1 2 3 4 5
15.	My presentations are rehearsed standing up and using visual aids.	1 2 3 4 5
16.	I prepare answers to anticipated questions and practice replying to them.	1 2 3 4 5
17.	I arrange seating if appropriate and check audio visual equipment in advance of the presentation.	1 2 3 4 5
18.	I main good eye contact with the audience at all times.	1 2 3 4 5
19.	My gestures are natural and not restricted by anxiety.	1 2 3 4 5
20.	My voice is strong and clear and not monotonous.	1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL SCORE =

If you scored between 80 – 100, you are an accomplished speaker who simply needs to maintain basic skills through practice.
If your total score was between 60 – 80, you have the potential to become a highly effective presenter.
If you score was between 40 – 60, you have great potential.
If you scored between 30 – 40, you should show dramatic improvement with practice.
If your total score was below 30, roll up your sleeves and dig in! It may not be easy, but you can make excellent progress if you try.

Next Steps:

Whatever your score look back over the questionnaire and decide which one thing if you were to improve it would make the biggest difference. Then take action with that one thing.

Here’s to your success,

Hilary

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Being a confident presenter.

Hilary — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Here are seven steps that will help you over come nerves and build confidence as a presenter.

(1) Preparation: Remember, if you have researched and prepared your subject thoroughly, YOU are the expert, YOU know about the subject.

The one eyed man is King in the land of the blind.

(2) Practise: The first four minutes of your presentation will be when you gt most attention from your audience and is the tine when you will feel most nervous, so take time to rehearse this part of your presentation thoroughly.

(3) Prepare yourself physically: breathe deeply from your diaphragm and relax your muscles. Practise a relaxed standing posture and control your hand movements. Be aware of how your body feels when it is relaxed. The link between mind and body is strong – by relaxing physically you can convince your mind into believing you are at ease, and the numbing effect of nervousness can be lessened.

(4) Model Excellence: think of someone you know who is a proficient presenter. It might be someone you work with, a former colleague or event some you know outside work. When you are with them observe what they do:

· How to they behave when doing a presentation

· What do they look like physically while they are doing it?

· How do they sound?

· What feelings do they show?

· What would you need to believe to be true to act in this way?

Now try to model your behaviour on theirs. Practise till you feel comfortable. You may want to ask them more questions to understand how they are successful:

· What do they think about or visualise when they are doing it?

· How do they feel?

· What makes them want to do it?

When you have the answers to these questions, think about how this information applies to you. Conjure up your own version of pictures they see, their thoughts and states of mind, and practise presenting in your own way, using what you have learnt from them. In what way does it feel different? The goal is not to be like them but to learn from them.

(5) Self Talk: We all have an inner dialogue with ourselves. We talk to ourselves throughout each day about what we are experiencing and what we should do. Sometimes we talk ourselves down. We undermine our confidence and capability by telling ourselves we can’t do things, even when this may not be true.

Recognise that this happens to you and counter it by:

· Reminding yourself of the times when you have spoken confidently in other situations.

· Telling yourself what you can do.

· Telling yourself that if it goes wrong you can adjourn and come back later.

· Identifying the consequences – usually you will be better off after tackling a difficult situation – you certainly won’t be worse off.

(6) Visualisation: to displace unhelpful self talk, replay an occasion where you presented confidently as if it was a video clip in your mind. Dissociate yourself, and run the video clip again as if you were watching yourself in action, giving a confident, polished performance. How do you look? What body movement and gestures are you using? How does your voice sound? What are you feeling? Hold on to the picture, sound and feeling and mentally transfer them to you now. This is the state you want when you are presenting, and YOU CAN DO IT.

(7) Anticipation: most stress is caused by anticipation, so minimise surprises by speaking to your audience individually as they come into the room.

Taking action is key to improving. Remeber the fastest way to raise your reputation and visibilty at work is to become a confident and competant presenter.

Here’s to your success,

Hilary

PS More great tips at www.getnoticedatwork.com

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Develope stage presence and get noticed at work.

Hilary — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:40:00 +0000

DEVELOPING STAGE PRESENCE

When you have decided on the content and structure of your presentation, you can be confident that you will say what you need to say in a logical order, and you will know roughly how long it will take you. You have the material – what about putting it across in a manner which will interest and convince your audience? Your message may be as worthy and sound as you like, you will not do it justice unless you present it expertly.

Think of people who present on the radio. They are using only one vehicle to put across their message persuasively; the voice.

VOICE

When you cannot be seen, you voice is obviously of crucial importance to the delivery of your message. However, do not underestimate the role your voice plays in face to face presentations too. Your voice has a variety of range and tone which few of us use to the full. And yet think of the richness and beauty which actors can convey by the voice alone, or the humour which a skilled comedian can inject in his words simply by the timing of his delivery.

To start with, sound is affected by your muscles and ease with which air can flow through your chest, throat and mouth. Very often you can tell if someone is nervous because their voice wobbles, or they speak very quietly. To project your voice, you need to:

· relax your muscles

· breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth

· use your diaphragm to fill your lower lungs with air

You will probably feel different degrees of enthusiasm about different parts of your presentation, but do you want that to be apparent? Probably not. Put across every point with conviction. Your voice will betray the areas of your talk which you are less sure about …… but only if you let it!

VOLUME

Can your audience hear what you are saying? Are they losing the ends of the sentences or missing points because you mumble? Speaking too loud to an informal group will appear inappropriate and over formal, perhaps aggressive. Presenters often do not appreciate how far their voice carries event at its normal conversation volume.

SPEED

Do you talk fast naturally? Are you giving your audience time to take in what you are saying? If you talk too fast – write “slow down” in your notes to remind you.

TONE

Monotonous voices send audiences to sleep! You can practise varying your tone, and use rhetorical questions to raise the pitch of your voice at the end of a sentence, rather than letting it fade away. Think about speaking clearly, and articulating more than you would in a one to one conversation. Use your tongue, your lips and your teeth. Listen to the news readers on Radio 4. They only have their voice to convey items of news which can be tragic, dramatic or comic. Get a feel for how they manage to do this.

VOCABULARLY

Do not try to impress by using long words. Speakers who do often betray their ignorance by using words inappropriately or by mis-pronouncing them. Think about your audience, and use words which you are comfortable with, and they will understand.

“Jargon appeals to the illiterate, plain English to the wise”

What you can do to make your presentation appeal to each member of your audience is to choose words which speak to them. You should be aware that some people relate to the pictures which words conjure up for them, some to the sound of words and some to the feelings which they give them. So try to use a range of words which will reach everyone in the audience.

Draw pictures for visual people, and use visuals. Use “sound” phrases, like “If this sounds good to you, we will go ahead and discuss it …” for your auditory people. When your audience includes people who respond to feeling; “To get a handle on this proposal…”

This is a way of building up rapport with your audience and making sure you reach each one of them.

PAUSES

Pauses are powerful. The silence may seem to you to last for ages, because your adrenalin is running faster than normal. Pauses give people a chance to absorb your last point. You can add drama to your presentation be creating anticipation when you pause before answering a rhetorical question, or delivering interesting information. If nothing else, you can pause to recapture your audience’s attention, as they realise there is a sudden silence which makes them alert, wondering what is coming next, or whether you have lost the thread of your argument!

YOUR BODY

You are you own best visual aid. You can use your face and your gestures to add interest to your delivery. By walking forward and delivering a rhetorical question to someone in the audience you will keep every one concentrating, in case you are going to ask them to answer the question!

Use gestures naturally. When you are talking about different times, use physical space to help you. You might point over your shoulder for time in the last, in front of you for the future. If you are talking about alternatives, gesture with your right hand while you refer to one, and when with your left hand while you refer to the other.

Your gestures can inject more life into your presentations, but should always add to your message, not distract from it. They should be natural and relevant; otherwise they get in the way of your audience’s understanding, like noise on the radio or snow on the television screen.

If you don’t feel comfortable using your body in this way, try practising in front of the mirror till it feels more natural, or if you can, take the opportunity to video yourself. How does it look when you play it back?

Think about actors. They always exaggerate their gestures very slightly to create effect. If you’ve ever watched a children’s entertainer you will notice the way they use gesture and expression to provoke a response.

MANNERISMS

Be aware of the mannerisms you have a tendency to use which might be irritating or distracting for your audience. We often feel awkward, not knowing what to do with out hands, but fiddling with coins in your pocket, or gripping your pen tightly will not help. Just be aware of what your hands are doing, try to hold them relaxed at your side, or hold your prompt cards – but not so tightly that your knuckles show white!

POSTURE

As a general rule you should stand to make your presentation. This makes you the focal point for your audience, and it is easier to capture and keep their attention. Try to adopt a relaxed pose, not necessarily stock still, but without pacing up and down in a distracting fashion. Always face the audience and make eye contact with them. A useful way to calm your nerves, as well as to commend attention, is to hold one person’s eyes for 3 to 4 seconds, before moving on to someone else.

“Lighthousing” – sweeping your eyes over the audience and back without resting on anyone has far less impact. You are aiming to have a conversation with your audience, and you will make them feel you are really interested in them if you look at them directly. Try and smile and remember:

“Enthusiasm and expressiveness are seldom out of place in presenting”

A key question is out of all you have read what is the one thing that if you took action on it would make the biggest difference to you?

Here’s to your success,

Hilary

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